Exterior Ice Chest Pocket and Retrofit Kit

ABSTRACT

A removable, flexible, soft sided pocket secured to the external wall of a rigid, rectangular box shaped ice chest cooler. The pocket is configured in a width to height ratio similar to a side of a typical ice chest. The thickness of the pocket is small relative to its width and height. A zippered opening extends across the top of the pocket. The top and bottom edges of the pocket each incorporate attachment flaps that include two or more snaps that are positioned to align with snap bases on the side of the ice chest. The removable pocket may be snapped onto or removed from the sidewall of the ice chest leaving only the low profile snap bases permanently attached. The pocket may in kit form to allow for retrofitting an existing cooler with a pocket sized specifically for the cooler or ice chest.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under Title 35 United States Code §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/118,110; filed: Feb. 19, 2015, the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to accessories for portable ice chests and coolers. The present invention relates more specifically to a removable, external pocket accessory attachable to the exterior surface of a portable ice chest or cooler.

2. Description of the Related Art

Most portable ice chests and coolers currently on the market are specifically structured to contain food and drink products that are meant to be kept cold. While there are many portable containers in the nature of ice chests and coolers that also incorporate sections reserved for maintaining food at room temperature or heated, it is difficult to adequately isolate the cold side from the hot side. Efforts have still been made in the past to incorporate both hot and cold regions inside portable ice chests or coolers. Most of these previous efforts are complex and often fail to prevent the transfer of heat from the warm or room temperature portion into the cold portion of the portable ice chest. Some efforts have been made to create soft sided ice chests or coolers that have pockets positioned on the outside of the coolers in order to allow the user to transport items such as napkins, silverware, plates, etc., that do not need to be kept cold within the main enclosure of the cooler. Unfortunately, such soft sided coolers do not perform as well as rigid sided coolers and often sacrifice the ability to maintain products at a colder temperature within the cooler for the versatility of a flexible, soft sided cooler with pockets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention therefore provides a removable, flexible, soft sided pocket that may be secured to the external wall of a rigid, rectangular box shaped ice chest or cooler. The rectangular box shaped pocket is generally configured in a width to height ratio that is similar to the largest external wall of a typical ice chest or cooler (usually the “front” of the cooler). The thickness or depth of the pocket (extending away from the rigid wall of the cooler) is small in comparison to its width and height. A zippered opening is provided across the top edge of the pocket. Most importantly, the top edge of the pocket and the bottom edge of the pocket each incorporate attachment flaps that run the width of the pocket and include two or more snap tops that are positioned to align with snap bases secured onto the rigid wall of the existing cooler or ice chest. The removable pocket may be snapped onto or removed from the sidewall of the rigid ice chest or cooler, leaving only the low profile snap bases on the cooler after removal. The present invention is preferably provided in a kit form that allows the user to retrofit an existing cooler with a pocket constructed in size and appearance suitable for association with the existing cooler or ice chest.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the front of the ice chest/cooler pocket of the present invention shown in an orientation as it would be installed on an ice chest/cooler.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the reverse side of the ice chest/cooler pocket of the present invention shown as it would appear removed from installation on an ice chest/cooler.

FIG. 3 is an elevational side view of the left hand side chest of the ice chest/cooler pocket of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an elevational side view of the right hand side of the ice chest/cooler pocket of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the ice chest/cooler pocket of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of ice chest/cooler pocket of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of an assembly of components provided in kit form to implement the ice chest/cooler pocket of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the ice chest/cooler pocket of the present invention shown installed on an ice chest/cooler.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference is made first to FIG. 1 which is a perspective view of the ice chest/cooler pocket of the present invention shown detached from an ice chest or cooler, but constructed and oriented to be positioned on an ice chest or cooler, once the appropriate matching snap connectors are installed on the cooler.

The terms ice chest and cooler are used interchangeably in the present disclosure and generally refer to any of a number of different types of ice chest or cooler designs, generally boxed rectangular in construction, that incorporate durable plastic exterior and interior walls separated by one or more layers of insulation material. A typical ice chest or cooler includes a hinged lid similarly constructed of an interior and an exterior plastic wall separated by a layer of insulation material. The manner of attaching the pocket structure of the present invention is, as described in more detail below, generally the process of securing snap connector bases to an external wall of the cooler and thereafter snapping the pocket structure to the external wall.

The example shown in FIG. 1 is preferably configured and shaped to fit on a medium sized ice chest or cooler having dimensions of 2-3 feet in width, 1-2 feet in depth, and 1.5-2 feet in height. The dimensions of the pocket shown in FIG. 1 therefore may preferably be on the order of 18 inches wide, 8 inches in height, and 1.5 inches in depth. Those skilled in the art will recognize, however, that as long as the size of the pocket is small enough to fit on the side of the selected ice chest or cooler, the construction of the pocket may be easily adapted to any size suitable for its intended purpose.

FIG. 1 discloses ice chest pocket 10 as generally constructed with front panel 12 surrounded by top box panel 14, side box panel (left hand side) 16, side box panel (right hand side) (not seen in this view) and bottom box panel (also not seen in this view). The stitching configuration for the ice chest pocket 10 is important. Preferably, front panel 12 is stitched to the side box panels with internal stitching visible only inside the pocket, as well as with optional top stitching 17 as shown on side box panel (left hand side) 16. Use of the optional top stitching facilitates the creation of a box like structure while maintaining the soft sided construction of the pocket.

Also seen in FIG. 1 is the manner in which zipper closure 22 is incorporated into top box panel 14. Top box panel 14 is preferably secured to adjoining panels with internal stitching as described above, as well as with top panel top stitch (optional) 15 a & 15 b as shown. Zipper closure 22 is secured in place on top box panel using zipper top stitch 13 a & 13 b. Zipper closure 22 preferably runs the entire width of top box panel 14 and is opened and closed using zipper pull 24. Zipper closure 22 may alternately extend part way down along either or both of side box panel (left hand side) 16 and side box panel (right hand side) 32 (FIG. 2).

Alternate to being constructed of discrete side panels that are stitched or sewn together, top box panel 14, side box panel (left hand side) 16, side box panel (right hand side) 32, and bottom panel 34 (FIG. 6) may be constructed from a single length of narrow material that is stitched to front panel 12 and back panel 30. A further alternate embodiment might eliminate bottom panel 34 and have front panel 12 stitched directly to back panel 30 to form the pocket enclosure.

The most important features of ice chest pocket 10 of the present invention are top attachment flap 18 and bottom attachment flap 26. Each of these attachment flaps 18 & 26 are secured into the seams of the box structure of the pocket at the back panel and side box panel interfaces, and at the top and bottom box panel interfaces. Top attachment flap 18 incorporates optional top flap top stitch 19 in order to provide a clean and secure appearance. In the preferred embodiment, flaps 18 & 26 are of double layer fabric construction finished with the respective top stitches 19 & 27.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 top attachment flap 18 and bottom attachment flap 26 each incorporate a set of four snap connectors. Top attachment flap 18 comprises four spaced top flap attachment snaps 20 a-20 d. In a similar manner bottom attachment flap 26 incorporates four bottom flap attachment snaps 28 a-28 d. Each of these attachment snaps shown in FIG. 1 includes the top portion of a two part snap connector assembly. The bottom portions of the two part snap connector assemblies, not seen in the view of FIG. 1, comprise part of the retrofit kit (see FIG. 7) that provides the materials necessary to allow the user to install the removable pocket onto an existing ice chest or cooler. Attachment snaps 20 a-20 d and 28 a-28 d are preferably of stainless steel construction and, for the size shown in FIG. 1, may preferably be ⅝ inch diameter (for the cap portion of the snap) and ⅜ inch diameter for the stud portion of the snap. The top portions of the snap connectors are secured to the respective attachment flaps using a standard pressed rivet method of attachment.

Reference is next made to FIG. 2 which provides a perspective view of the reverse side of the ice chest/cooler pocket 10. In this view the additional side box panel (right hand side) 32 is shown with its optional right hand side panel top stitch 33. More significantly, back panel 30 is disclosed in this view comprising the primary construction panel for ice chest pocket 10 parallel to and sized similar to front panel 12 shown in FIG. 1. Additionally in FIG. 2 the manner in which top attachment flap 18 and bottom attachment flap 26 are incorporated into the seams between back panel 30 and top box panel 14 and bottom box panel 34 (not seen in this view) is provided. Additionally, the open portions of each of the snap connectors 20 a-20 d and 28 a-28 d are shown structured to receive the stud portions of the standard two part snap connector assemblies.

Reference is next made to FIGS. 3 & 4 for detailed views of side box panel (left hand side) 16 and side box panel (right hand side) 32. These similar but opposite end views again show the manner in which optional top stitching 17 & 33 create a box like structure to the pocket 10. Top attachment flap 18 and bottom attachment flap 26 are each shown secured into the box construction of the pocket at the back panel 30 as described above. Further seen in the views of FIGS. 3 & 4 is the manner in which top flap attachment snaps 20 a-20 d and bottom flap attachment snaps 28 a-28 d are secured within and extend through their respective attachment flaps. Once again these snap components are secured to the respective attachment flaps with a through the flap rivet attachment method that tightly secures this first of the two part snap connector components to the flap and therefore to the pocket as it is constructed during manufacture. Finally, in FIGS. 3 & 4 the overall depth of the pocket is seen in more detail with zipper closure 22 and zipper pull 24 positioned on top box panel 14 to allow alternate access to and closure of the interior of pocket 10.

Reference is next made to FIGS. 5 & 6 which provide a top plan view (FIG. 5) and a bottom plan view (FIG. 6) to complete the description of the various panels that go together to construct the box shaped pocket 10. FIG. 5, a top plan view of pocket 10, shows in greater detail the manner in which zipper closure 22 extends across the overall width of the pocket from one end of top box panel 14 to the other. The various optional top stitches 15 a & 15 b securing the top panel to the back and front panels are also shown. Likewise, zipper top stitch 13 a & 13 b show the manner in which zipper closure 22 is cleanly secured to the split material of top box panel 14.

As in FIGS. 3 & 4 described above, FIGS. 5 & 6 show the manner in which attachment snaps 20 a-20 d and 28 a-28 d are secured through the double layer thickness of attachment flaps 18 & 26. Optional top stitching 35 for bottom panel 34 is disclosed in more detail in FIG. 6. The manner in which the back and front panels are secured to the two sides, as well as the top and the bottom panels, is initially the same as most such fabric box construction methods. Initially constructed inside out, the various panels are sewn together and the overall pocket is then turned right side out. Top stitching as shown in the above described figures then secures the seam edges of the fabric to the top, bottom and side panels in a manner that better forms the rectangular box construction intended for the pocket. The four corners of the pocket, both back and front, are somewhat rounded as a result of the construction process, but this corner construction provides a rugged and secure manner of preventing separation between the various construction panels.

Reference is next made to FIG. 7 which is a top plan view of an assembly of components that includes the pocket device of the present invention, and is packaged together and sold as a retrofit kit suitable for installing the device of the present invention onto an existing ice chest or cooler. Ice chest pocket 10 shown in FIG. 7 is constructed as described above, fully assembled and ready for installation onto an existing cooler. Retrofit kit 40 includes the basic ice chest pocket 10 sized according to the needs of the user and the specific size of the cooler to be retrofit. Various ice chest pocket 10 sizes may be specifically designated for each of the most popular types and sizes of ice chests and coolers.

Also included within retrofit kit 40 are hardware 42 that includes snap base components and self tapping screws. As described above, ice chest pocket 10 requires only an array of snap bases be positioned on the wall of the ice chest or cooler (see FIG. 8 below) in order to be used in conjunction with the cooler once the snap bases are positioned and secured. As most ice chests and coolers comprise relatively thick walls made up of an external hard plastic shell and an internal softer insulation space, a typical self tapping screw used to secure the individual snap bases is sufficient to provide secure attachment of the snap base to the cooler. In order to allow the user to accurately position and place each of the snap bases with self tapping screws, retrofit kit 40 further includes template 44 which is a paper or thin plastic template that may be placed against the external wall of the cooler and used to guide the user's attachment of the various snap bases with self tapping screws. Light adhesive material may be positioned on the back of template 44 in order to facilitate the placement of the template and therefore of the snap bases on the external wall of the cooler.

Reference is finally made to FIG. 8 which shows ice chest pocket 10 of the present invention positioned and installed on an ice chest/cooler 50 on the largest front wall surface of the cooler.

Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with a number of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize modifications to these embodiments that still fall within the scope of the present invention. Because of variations in the sizes of different ice chests and coolers to which the present invention is intended to be retrofit, corresponding variations in the dimensions and configuration of the pocket are anticipated. Alternately, the present invention may be implemented through the manufacture and sale of a new ice chest or cooler with the pocket sold as an accessory included with the purchase of the new ice chest or cooler. Both the retrofit version of the present invention and the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) version incorporate the same basic elements and configurations. 

I claim:
 1. A pocket enclosure removably attachable to an external wall of a rigid, box shaped ice chest cooler, the pocket enclosure comprising: a front wall panel having a height and a width; a rear wall panel having a height and a width, the rear wall panel positioned generally over and parallel to the front wall panel; first and second side wall panels joined to and extending between the front and rear wall panels generally along their height; a top wall panel joined to and extending between the front and rear wall panels generally along their width; at least one zipper positioned on at least one of the top, front, and side wall panels, the at least one zipper configured to alternately open and close the pocket enclosure; a top attachment flap extending along and from a first edge of the rear wall panel; and a bottom attachment flap extending along and from a second edge of the rear wall panel.
 2. The pocket enclosure of claim 1 wherein the at least one zipper is positioned on and along a length of the top wall panel.
 3. The pocket enclosure of claim 1 wherein the top and bottom attachment flaps each comprise a flexible band of material and a plurality of attachment mechanisms spaced along a length of the flexible band of material.
 4. The pocket enclosure of claim 3 wherein the plurality of attachment mechanisms comprise snap assemblies, each snap assembly comprising a base component and a cap component, the base components secured to the external wall of the rigid box shaped ice chest cooler, and the cap components secured to the flexible band of material.
 5. The pocket enclosure of claim 3 wherein the plurality of attachment mechanism comprise hook and loop attachment surfaces, the hook surfaces secured to the external wall of the rigid box shaped ice chest cooler, and the loop attachment surfaces secured to the flexible band of material.
 6. The pocket enclosure of claim 1 further comprising a bottom wall panel joined to and extending between the front and rear wall panels generally along their width.
 7. The pocket enclosure of claim 6 wherein the first and second side wall panels, the top wall panel, and the bottom wall panel, comprise portions of a continuous band of flexible material extending between the front and rear wall panels generally along their width and height.
 8. The pocket enclosure of claim 1 wherein the front, rear, first side, second side, and top wall panels comprise stitched together flexible vinyl fabric material.
 9. The pocket enclosure of claim 1 wherein the front, rear, first side, second side, and top wall panels comprise thermal insulating material.
 10. A pocket enclosure removably attachable to an external wall of a rigid, box shaped ice chest cooler, the pocket enclosure comprising: a front wall panel having a height and a width and a perimeter edge; a rear wall panel having a height and a width and a perimeter edge, the rear wall panel positioned in a generally spaced and parallel relationship to the front wall panel; at least one side wall panel joined to and extending between the front and rear wall panels along their perimeter edges; at least one zipper positioned on the at least one side wall panel, the at least one zipper configured to alternately open and close the pocket enclosure; and at least one attachment flap extending along and from a portion of the perimeter edge of the rear wall panel.
 11. The pocket enclosure of claim 10 wherein the at least one attachment flap comprises a flexible band of material and a plurality of attachment mechanisms spaced along a length of the flexible band of material.
 12. The pocket enclosure of claim 11 wherein the plurality of attachment mechanisms comprise snap assemblies, each snap assembly comprising a base component and a cap component, the base components secured to the external wall of the rigid box shaped ice chest cooler, and the cap components secured to the flexible band of material.
 13. The pocket enclosure of claim 11 wherein the plurality of attachment mechanism comprise hook and loop attachment surfaces, the hook surfaces secured to the external wall of the rigid box shaped ice chest cooler, and the loop attachment surfaces secured to the flexible band of material.
 14. The pocket enclosure of claim 10 wherein the front, rear, and at least one side wall panels comprise stitched together flexible vinyl fabric material.
 15. The pocket enclosure of claim 10 wherein the front, rear, first side, second side, and top wall panels comprise thermal insulating material.
 16. A pocket enclosure removably attachable to an external wall of a rigid, box shaped ice chest cooler, the pocket enclosure comprising: a front wall panel having a height and a width, and comprising a flexible fabric material; a rear wall panel having a height and a width, and comprising a flexible fabric material, the rear wall panel positioned generally over and parallel to the front wall panel; first and second side wall panels comprising a flexible fabric material joined to and extending between the front and rear wall panels generally along their height; a top wall panel comprising a flexible fabric material joined to and extending between the front and rear wall panels generally along their width; a bottom wall panel comprising a flexible fabric material joined to and extending between the front and rear wall panels generally along their width; at least one zipper positioned on at least one of the top, front, and side wall panels, the at least one zipper configured to alternately open and close the pocket enclosure, the at least one zipper positioned on and along a length of the top wall panel; a top attachment flap extending along and from a first edge of the rear wall panel, the top attachment flap comprising a flexible band of fabric material and a plurality of attachment mechanisms spaced along a length of the flexible band of fabric material, the plurality of attachment mechanisms comprising snap assemblies, each snap assembly comprising a base component and a cap component, the base components secured to the external wall of the rigid box shaped ice chest cooler, and the cap components secured tthrough the flexible band of fabric material; and a bottom attachment flap extending along and from a second edge of the rear wall panel, the bottom attachment flap comprising a flexible band of fabric material and a plurality of attachment mechanisms spaced along a length of the flexible band of fabric material, the plurality of attachment mechanisms comprising snap assemblies, each snap assembly comprising a base component and a cap component, the base components secured to the external wall of the rigid box shaped ice chest cooler, and the cap components secured through the flexible band of fabric material.
 17. The pocket enclosure of claim 16 wherein the wall panels are first stitched together with internal hidden stitching and again with external top stitching. 